Setting up my first Gold IRA - any tips from the old guard?

• •Just rolled over a big chunk of my old 401k, about 600k total, and finally pulling the trigger on a Gold IRA.
• •Been watching the global scene from here in Honolulu for years, especially with everything happening in the Pacific and China's moves.
• •It feels like the smart play to get some real assets that aren't tied directly to the whims of the US dollar or the stock market.

Just rolled over a big chunk of my old 401k, about 600k total, and finally pulling the trigger on a Gold IRA. Been watching the global scene from here in Honolulu for years, especially with everything happening in the Pacific and China's moves. It feels like the smart play to get some real assets that aren't tied directly to the whims of the US dollar or the stock market. My financial advisor is pushing certain custodians, but frankly, I’m doing my own due diligence before committing that much capital.

My old man was career Navy, and he always preached about diversification and not keeping all your eggs in one basket – learned that lesson well after a couple of shaky economic cycles. We’ve seen some crazy things from a geopolitical standpoint out here in the Pacific, and it just reinforces my belief in physical assets. I’m thinking about starting with roughly 10-15% of my portfolio in gold and silver, maybe a 70/30 split between the two. Is that a reasonable allocation to dip my toes in?

What are the unexpected gotchas or questions I should be asking custodians that they might not volunteer? I’m particularly interested in storage options. My advisor is recommending a specific vault on the mainland, but I’m wondering if anyone has experience with international storage for a Gold IRA, or if that even makes sense from a tax and regulatory standpoint? Any advice from folks who’ve been through this process would be greatly appreciated. Want to make sure I’m not missing any critical steps.